Page 21 of Mated to the Alien Warlord

He took my chin into his hand and raised it until our eyes met, his burned with the same desire I had seen last night, creating all kinds of fuzzy things in my stomach.

"Nyck, this is the beauty of riding with my khazar. He is the one who has to make all the important decisions."

I laughed, not believing a word he said, but enjoying it. "You are a bad liar. I'm sure your khazar has a hundred tasks for you to do."

"You are starting to hurt my feelings, Lady Damaris. I'm starting to think you want to get rid of me," he teased.

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to spend time with me, I—"

His eyes darkened even more when he interrupted me, "Don't ever think that, czira. Spending time with you will always be a pleasure, an honor, nothing else."

"Stop," I said, playfully hitting his arm.

"Or what?" he challenged.

"Or I might truly develop very deep feelings for you," I admitted.

"I would like that very much," he rasped, "because I already have, for you."

"Oh, Vandor."

He pulled me into his arms, giving me a devastating kiss that left me with shaking legs and burning for more.

WereachedKendryx'soutpostand, as I expected, he wasn't happy to be away from his stronghold and even more unhappy for having to accompany us through the steppe to catch up with Fionbyr.

"I will gut that bastard myself," he declared vengefully during dinner.

"I think I have a far greater claim on that honor than you," Damaris stated just as vengefully, and for good measure stuck her fork into the noodles—a dish the humans imported and we Thyres had taken a liking to. For good measure, she attacked her noodles by twirling her fork through them.

I paused my utensil halfway to my mouth to stare at my bride before both Gryck and Kendryx broke out into loud laughter and Kendryx slapped me hard on the back. "I like your mate, Vandor! She's as bloodthirsty as you."

"You better watch out not to get on her bad side," Gryck agreed with a grin, raising his cup to Damaris.

"Fionbyr's warriors slayed her father's army and took her hostage," I explained to Kendryx, whom we hadn't filled in all the details yet.

"In that case, Lady Damaris, it will be my honor to slay him for you," Kendryx avowed, ignoring the glare I sent in his direction because, by all rights, Fionbyr belonged to me.

"My warlords seem to have forgotten that it was me he slighted," Gryck asserted. "And I am still your khazar."

"Which is exactly why we will avenge your honor," Kendryx grinned slyly.

"I don't care as long as the man is dead," King Helmut muttered, pushing his plate from him.

"When are we leaving?" Kendryx asked.

"Before sunrise," Gryck ordered.

"And here I had a feast planned into the early morning hours," Kendryx complained.

"Won't the two go beautifully hand in hand? We feast until we leave?" Damaris asked, batting her eyelashes.

Gryck laughed. "That might work for you, Lady Damaris, but I expect my warriors awake in their saddles and ready to fight."

"You are no fun, Khazar," she pouted, bringing more laughter to the table, and I leaned back in my chair to bathe in the easy banter between my mate and my friends. I doubted that even as a princess, Damaris had been around many courtiers and court protocol, but that fact alone seemed to play in her favor, as I could tell that both Gryck and Kendryx honestly adored her.

"Seriously, you have to tell me where you found her. I need a mate like her in my life," Kendryx whispered to me.

I could barely hold my smirk at bay when I told him, "Gryck ordered me to mate her."

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